FARMING MENTIONS

Shannon News, 7 September 1928, Page 4

FARMING MENTIONS

Notes From Elsewhere

The Irrigation Committee. The Committee of Inquiry set up by the Government to go into the problems and difficulties confronting irrigators in Central Otago, has again started Avork on the report, wdiich it is expected Avill be presented to the Government in a very short time. The Croimvell Development Company’s position in regard to its land Avas put before a meeting of the committee on Saturday at great length, and the standpoint of a certain faction of the Matakanui settlors Avas conmiendefi to the committee recently, when that body needed to urgent requests on the part of settlers, and paid a yisit to the district.

Farms Selling. There is keen activity in the farm sales market in Te Awamutu, and it is estimated that fully 20 farms, ranging in area from 30 to 250 acres, have found neAV owners. In some cases properties have been subdivided and sold at reasonable prices, the purchas- 1 ers being in the main men from outback districts. Some of them ha\ f e capital that will enable them to proceed at once with improvements that will cause butter-fat production to increase appreciably next season. Pirongia seems to be especially favoured, but all parts of the extensive Te Awmmutu district are affected.

Lambs in Southland. Lambs are to be seen in various parts of Southland already, although the season has not yet commenced in earnest. Except for the past few days the Aveatlier has been congenial for the young lambs. Blown Cattle. A complaint which has causeid loss to most dairy farmers Avas touched upon, and a remedy given by Mr. G. V. Daynes, Government veterinarian, in a lecture to the Morrinsvillo branch of the NCav Zealand Farmers’ Union. The ailment was gas. in the rumen (first stomach). The causes, he said, could be traced to the cows lying prone, eating succulent Avet clover, or roots or getting a swede or turnip stuck in the throat. The danger in the use of the usual drench was wlien the coav Avas too tight. If the cow was drenched Avhcn too tight it was possible that tho beast AA r ould die. The life could be saved by puncturing where tho distension Avas most marked. A,pocket knife cquM be used, but it Avas necessary to turn this in the avouikl to allow the gas to escape. A drench could then be used to check further trouble. A good mixture Avas a pint of linseed oil * and t\A r o tablespoonfxls of oil of turpentine. Dairy Produce Shipping.

The National Dairy Association, which for a great number of years has attended to the shipping of dairy produce from the North Island and latterly has been doing that business for the Dairy Produce Board at the ports of Auckland and New Plymouth, has been advised by the board that that body in future will do the shipping from all ports. The South Island Dairy Association, which attended to shipping business from all ports in the South Island, has been similarly advised. Demand for Dairy Cows.

There has been a great demand during the past month or six weeks for dairy cows, and these have sold at an average of from £lO to £l4 per head. These prices are quite reasonable for cows of picked herds "with good but-ter-fat averages, but are on the high side for unlisted or unguaranteed cows. There is also a good inquiry for ewes, particularly young sorts, but very few are offering for sale, and anything good commands high money. .

Canterbury A. and P. Society’s Report

The annual report of the Canterbury A. and P. Society, a copy of which is just to hand, is prefaced as follows:—■ “It is distinctly pleasing to record [ for the year gone by a season in which a decided improvement in the net results of, farming operations eventuated. Compared with the two previous seasons the 1927-2 S farming year was. distinctly more profitable, and the healthy improvement in the export values of primary produce will soon make itself ftlt upon the economic conditions of the Dominion. What is quite as satisfactory is the fact that the outlook to-day inspires much more hope for the futuic than was the case a year ago.'' The report deals exhaustively wit|i the .agricultural and. pastoral year Us it affected Canterbury and the whole Dominion, and is full of informatioin as to the rvork of the society during the year just passed. Prime Canterbury Lamb. “Our Canterbury friends arc worrying about the quality of their fat lambs and are being driven to admit that the North Island is producing a better article," said the president (Mr. G. H. Perry) at the annual meeting the other day of the Masterton Agricultural and Pastoral Association. “Some have been alleging that this state of affairs is due to their exporting their best Southdowns to the North Island aud taking old ewes in return. We are breeding three and a-half times as many Southdowns in the North Island as are being bred in the South Island. I agree with the South Island people that our lambs are of better quality than others. Only the other day a high authority in the meat trade told me that, on their merits, the best Wairarapa A lambs should bring a

earthing a pound more than the best that Canterbury could produce. Why, then, do they still get a price from one penny to a penny halfpenny better than wo do. The only, reason I can suggest is that a fictitious significance attaches to the term ‘prime Canterbury.’ This is a matter in which we have a lot to gain from making the truth know r n as widely as possible. ” Poverty Bay Stock Market.

“Generally there is a very fair inquiry, but sales are hard to make," remarked a Gisborne stock agent recently, when discussing the prospects of the coming season so far as stock sales were concerned (reports the Pov-, erty Bay Herald). The inquiry was for forward delivery. There w r ere few sales, lie said, because those who had stock were asking prices which were considered too high for the prospective buyers. Most of the demand was for wethers off the shears, but he was unable to say that many lines had changed,hands. There was also an inquiry for cattle, chiefly for male stock but most of the farmers were now down to their winter capacity, and they were not going to dispose of their cattle and make their sheep do the work of the cattle. When reviewing the market for beef it had also to be considered that there Avas an improved tone in the market, and graziers he thought, were going to hold on to their cattle anrl see what number they could fatten.